Join Bikeland as we chat with Aki Arai in an exclusive look at the new 2010 RX-Q helmet. The new RX-Q brings along with it Corsair derived track technology, a wider eye port, better noise management and race proven aerodynamics adapted for the street. The RX-Q coincides with the end of the Quantum series but does not replace the Quantum in Arai's product lineup. Check out several videos detailing the features of this new helmet, as well as an interview with Aki Arai.

Arai has announced the introduction of what it says is not just a whole new helmet, “but a whole new class of helmet.” A helmet purpose-built to be “the ultimate street helmet. Something to compete with other top-of-the-line models, but with what Arai calls “a more conscious focus on the road rider.”

It’s called the RX-Q.

According to Arai, “Other companies sell helmets for the street; but this RX-Q was specifically created as one. It’s not a description; it’s a definition. Even we were guilty: if a lid didn’t have a primary purpose like road racing, it became ‘a street helmet’ almost by default. Something for the masses. This time we sat down and said let’s use the same 24-7 focus we use for race helmets on a pure, focused, ground-up ultimate street helmet, one born from the concept of a Corsair-V for the street, borrowing and refining those proven designs to a new purpose. The RX-Q concept was new from the get-go.”

Arai aimed it at the “pro street rider.” One who reels off mega-miles over every kind of road flex on every kind and style of bike. Sure, they say, “you can pose in one. But get this puppy out for a 10-minute test ride and you can make up your own mind about its level of stability, comfort, and quiet. Sorry if this sounds immodest – chalk it up the resident Arai passion – but we think we significantly upped all three.”

If you know anything about Arai helmets, you know the “RX” prefix is both famous and packed with meaning. It all started with the original X-7 back in 1979, evolving into the iconic RX-7 that effectively changed the face, literally and figuratively, of helmet design from that point on by introducing the concept of top-mounted diffusers. It came from Arai’s involvement in Formula-1 (Over half the drivers on the grid wear Arais, including four of the last six world champions), where they learned that the best way to push hot stale air out of a helmet was to pull it out via the negative pressure created by the venturi effect of the diffusers. So, for a name befitting Arai’s new class of helmet, the RX prefix was a natural bridge to the up-side of things.

KEY FEATURES:

· The RX-Q has an evolved version of Arai’s very popular Intermediate-Oval (IO) interior shape. Arai is the only company offering multiple interior-fit packages to better conform to consumers’ head shape as well as size. Its interior fit shapes evolve and improve as company research recognizes trends based on consumer feedback. The RX-Q shape is similar to the current Corsair-V and Vector models, and the former RX-7 Corsair, but the RX-Q’s shape represents a further refinement of interior shape configuration based on Arai’s continual comparison, measurement and testing of human head shapes.

- Extremely wide peripheral view for better visibility and awareness of the world around you. The RX-Q uses the same new wider-eyeport SAI faceshield as the Corsair-V. Benefits are immediately realized both by racers and street riders alike, from an advantage over race competition, to an advantage in traffic.

- A new level of stability, quiet, and comfort in a road helmet.

- Arai’s legendary, unrivaled comfort is improved even more. The RX-Q’s new cheekpad design further improves overall helmet fit, comfort, and noise sealing. Its interior design is influenced by F-1 drivers, the most demanding of all for fit – the result is the RX-Q’s newly-sculpted cheekpad shape cradles your head and provides an even better noise seal to aid interior quiet.

- Advanced Ventilation taken even further to combine more efficiency with even less interior noise. The ability to further refine proven designs to increase helmet performance proves that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make substantial improvements. For example, the same number, position and similar styling of intake and exhaust ports, but here refined, combined and utilized to improve airflow and overall effect at road speeds.

- Smaller, more aerodynamic, hand-formed natural shell shape and size aids stability and stillness - not only in straight-line wind-tunnel stability, but it also minimizes the negative aerodynamic effect when turning your head to check traffic or in a cross wind. And it looks better on your head than other bigger, rounder balloon-style shell designs on the market.

- Uniquely-designed lower Hyper Ridge circles the shell bottom to improve strength and aerodynamics. It’s also designed to lower the center-of-gravity for an exceptionally light feeling on your head. And a larger bottom opening makes for easier on-off without enlarging the helmet.

- New more aerodynamic upper and side exhaust vent cowling, sculpted to enhance stability while increasing exhaust efficiency. The side vent cowls are tailored to the needs and speeds of the street. Compared to the C-V, the Q’s cowlings are larger and more aggressively styled, as lower street speeds require more surface area and a more refined shaping in order to deliver the increased stability. High speed performance is also excellent.

- Brand new, one piece bottom edge trim, gives an incredibly clean look by eliminating the need for seams. Admittedly not a major innovation, but still another example of Arai’s unceasing attention to details and aesthetics.

- Arai’s exceptional handmade craftsmanship, made to a higher standard of protection, comfort, and quality that’s difficult to put a “price” on.

ARAI RX-Q FEATURES & BENEFITS FACT SHEET

It’s not just a whole new helmet,
it’s a whole new class of helmet:

The Ultimate Street Helmet

Arai’s brand new RX-Q.

CONCEPT:

- The RX-Q is a new benchmark standard of street helmet design and function, with features initially created for the extremes of racing re-thought and tailored to the needs of the street. The design criteria was to create the ultimate street helmet: light weight, much more quiet, more stable, more comfort for the real world. As a result, the RX-Q revealed a previously unrecognized void between standard street helmets and high level race helmets, defining a new class of street helmets for other brands’ top-of-the-line helmets to compete against.

- A major new class of helmets for Arai, positioned between the Profile and the Corsair-V.

- First, the RX-Q has an evolved* version of Arai’s very popular Intermediate-Oval (IO) interior shape. We make different shape interiors, but which one is best for you depends on which one fits you the best! The only way to determine that is to try them ALL on.
Always listening to and learning from our customers, our interior fit packages evolve and improve as we recognize trends based on extensive customer testing and feedback, which has led to multiple fit packages – beyond just our prior Long-Oval, Round-Oval, and Intermediate-Oval – that must all be tried on to determine the best shape for each individual head. The RX-Q’s shape is similar to the current Corsair-V and Vector models, and the former RX-7 Corsair, but its shape represents a further refinement of interior shape configuration based on Arai’s continual comparison, measurement and testing of human head shapes.

- Simply, it’s a Corsair-V for the street.

- True to Arai’s successful generations-long philosophy of evolution rather than revolution. The complexity and sophistication of the RX-Q design is hidden in the simplicity of its execution. Its typical “Arai look” belies the considerable performance this helmet delivers for the street rider. (The “look” is purpose-driven by Arai’s belief that you can make changes to a helmet shell as long as you never forget its primary function of impact management, thereby “requiring” the use of smooth surfaces without exaggerated ridges or protrusions that may look impressive, but that in a crash possibly have an adverse effect on the helmets main job – manage impact energy.

- Many of the advances and experience learned in Arai’s unparalleled experience and knowledge in MotoGP and F-1 is brought to motorcycle riders in the real world.

- Testing feedback has centered on how light the RX-Q feels in your hands. Peripheral vision, comfort and stability seem to be immediately recognizable, proving that this helmet needs to be ridden in order to fully appreciate the features that make it stand out among its peers.

EXECUTION:

- Extremely wide peripheral view for better visibility and awareness of the world around you. The RX-Q uses the same new wider-eyeport SAI faceshield as the Corsair-V. Benefits of a wider eye port are immediately realized both by racers and street riders alike. For racers it gives them an advantage over the competition, for street riders it gives them an advantage in real-world traffic.

- A new level of stability, quiet, and comfort in a road helmet.

- Arai’s legendary, unrivaled comfort is improved even more – where some thought none was possible or that there was no room left for improvement. The RX-Q’s new cheekpad design further improves overall helmet fit, comfort, and noise sealing. Its design is influenced by F-1 drivers, the most demanding of all for fit – the result is the RX-Q’s newly-sculpted cheekpad shape cradles your head from underneath for a level of comfort that needs to be felt to be believed, while providing an even better noise seal to aid interior quiet.
The new cheekpad has more surface area, and moves away from the “pressure fit” to a more “comfort fit” based on the design’s “cradle” support for the jaws. The result is a more secure fit in a more comfortable package.
The design also closes off more noise entering the bottom of the RX-Q (the major source of helmet noise). There is also new noise-deadening foam in the new cheekpad.
The RX-Q cheekpad is nothing short of a marvel, very labor intensive and costly to make, and requiring skilled in-house Arai workers to carefully fit its more than dozen pieces.
But like everything Arai, the cheekpads work. And that’s the most important goal.

- The RX-Q has an evolved* version of Arai’s very popular Intermediate-Oval (IO) interior shape. Always listening to and learning from our customers, our interior fit evolves and improves as we recognize trends based on customer feedback. The shape is similar to the current Corsair-V and Vector models, and the former RX-7 Corsair, but the RX-Q’s shape represents a further refinement of interior shape configuration based on Arai’s continual comparison, measurement and testing of human head shapes.
EXAMPLE: Arai Americas conducted a massive 2009 Consumer Measuring Campaign (CMC) that measured hundreds (Approx 700+/-) of rider-attendees at the national IMS Consumer Shows across the US to obtain updated fit and shape information. Such fit/comfort/shape information is a true testimonial to Arai’s passion to create the best-fitting and most comfortable helmets imaginable for the broadest assortment of head sizes and shapes. Hence, if Arai’s promotion of its uniquely different interior shape configurations were merely a competitive “gimmick,” further study would have been useless and wasteful.

- Advanced Ventilation taken even further to combine more efficiency with even less interior noise. The ability to further refine proven designs to increase helmet performance proves that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make substantial improvements. For example, the same number, position and similar styling of intake and exhaust ports, but here refined, combined and utilized to improve airflow and overall effect at road speeds.
While not very “aggressive” looking, the Q’s vents are extremely efficient, flowing huge volumes of air. Not a lot of vent holes – just the right ones, in the right size, in the right place.

- Smaller, more aerodynamic, hand-formed natural shell shape and size aids stability and stillness - not only in straight-line wind-tunnel stability, but it also minimizes the negative aerodynamic effect when turning your head to check traffic or in a cross wind. And it looks better on your head than other bigger, rounder balloon-style shell designs on the market.

- Uniquely-designed lower Hyper Ridge circles the shell bottom to improve strength and aerodynamics. It’s also designed to lower the center-of-gravity for an exceptionally light feeling on your head. And a larger bottom opening makes for easier on-off without enlarging the helmet.

- New more aerodynamic upper and side exhaust vent cowling, sculpted to enhance stability while increasing exhaust efficiency. The side vent cowls are tailored to the needs and speeds of the street. Compared to the C-V, the Q’s cowlings are larger and more aggressively styled, as lower street speeds require more surface area and a more refined shaping in order to deliver the increased stability. High speed performance is also excellent.

- Retractable chin spoiler improves aerodynamic flow and enhances exhaust from the interior facial area to diminish fogging and improve rider comfort at all speeds while further aiding quiet and reduced buffeting.

- The RX-Q has both a removable neckroll and Arai’s (now copied) innovation, the Emergency Cheek Pad Removal System. Both come directly from its Corsair-V “big brother.”

- Brand new, one piece bottom edge trim, gives an incredibly clean look by eliminating the need for seams. Admittedly not a major innovation, but still another example of Arai’s unceasing attention to details and aesthetics.

- Arai’s exceptional handmade craftsmanship, made to a higher standard of protection, comfort, and quality that’s difficult to put a “price” on.

- New web section on the Arai site is being developed and we will be promoting it in ads and POP’s, in an effort to direct people directly to the new model: ARAIAMERICAS.COM/RXQ

- The latest offering from the only helmet company with 11 straight years of JD Power & Associates Number One-ranking in helmet customer satisfaction. (Details at jdpower.com)

COMPLETELY NEW,
COMPLETELY STREET,
COMPLETELY ARAI!

WEAR IT ON A SHORT STREET RIDE
AND EXPERIENCE THE GROUNDBREAKING
NEW ARAI RX-Q FOR YOURSELF!

posted November 01, 2009 02:11 AM
one of these days i'll be able to afford an Arai... until then i'll just keep wearing my Scorpion which is affordable and made right here in southern california.
____________
Best 60ft: 1.42
Best 1/8th: 5.97
Best 1/8th MPH: 119

posted November 01, 2009 03:34 AM
Back in days gone by...
Bell came out with a full face helmet
the slogan was " if you had a $10 head
wear a $10 helmet"
I had several helmets..... but I have to put my
money on Arai

posted November 01, 2009 06:06 AM
Interesting stuff towards the end of this at 7:05 onwards - worth a look at esp when you see them talk about how Arai is a family business and Rick talk about the size of the company at 8:05 ...

posted November 01, 2009 08:19 AM
I love my arai, it does fit better then any other helmet I've ever worn. I actually got it by chance, as I accidentally scratched my cousins brand new arai. I bought him an identical helmet, and kept the scratched one...... I love it!

posted November 01, 2009 09:36 AM
I have the arai astral, and I'm due for another one bc its only snell 2000, not snell 2005. They have the rx-7's on clearance for $399 shipped. I'm assuming bc they are discontinued.. They are still worth that, right?
____________
Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32

posted November 01, 2009 11:09 AM
i love arais....oneday I will get one, but for now im sticking with the shoei x-11....i need something esle but hey she will
do.
____________
2009 Yamaha R1-SOLD!
2013 Zx-14R Green ABS

posted November 01, 2009 11:49 AM
my understanding was that helmets had a shelf life - though many think otherwise.... I'm going to check into this.
____________What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?

posted November 01, 2009 12:07 PM
Fish: Great report...thanks for putting it together. I have owned only Arai helmets, and have all of them lined up on my garage shelf like pieces of artwork. Visitors to my garage have as many questions about the helmets as the motorcycles!

Where were these videos filmed?...it looks like the pier at Oceanside California, 40 miles north of San Diego.

posted November 01, 2009 12:19 PM
Who says helmets have a shelf life? The manufacture? Of course because they will sell more helmets. When did carbon fiber start going bad? I know theirs more to it than that, but I would like to know a legit answer.
____________
Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32

quote:Who says helmets have a shelf life? The manufacture? Of course because they will sell more helmets. When did carbon fiber start going bad? I know theirs more to it than that, but I would like to know a legit answer.

I agree... but my understanding has always been that the foam inside the liner breaks down over time... I will investigate and report back ____________What business is it of yours where I'm from, Friendo?

posted November 01, 2009 12:47 PM
Bawls: No...I live in Washington DC...my niece and her Marine husband are based at Camp Pendleton, near Oceanside. Visited there a few times...beautiful place. Yamaha had their press launch of the V-Max last fall at the Oceanside pier.